Before I had a baby, I didn't even know that "baby wearing" was a thing. But it is, in fact, very much a thing. Now it happens to be a thing I am into because my daughter LOVES to be carried around. At first, I was a little bit worried about constantly carrying her around. So I asked both my mom and my mother-in-law about this who both said that they wore my husband and I when we were babies without giving it a thought!
It seems natural, of course, to have your baby close to you as much as possible, but in today's world there are a lot of voices out there telling you (the parent) so many ways to do it that it can become confusing. Suffice it to say that you have to do what feels right for you. If you like wearing your baby, WEAR THAT BABY! I have found that it makes my days easier, she sleeps comfortably and I can do whatever it is I need to do (like write this blog post, vacuum or even take a nap myself!)
As soon as I started with the baby wearing, though, I quickly found that I wanted to explore products to see which worked best for me. I have been able to try three different products and so I am giving you my review of each one!
These are not THE most expensive products on the market, but they sure aren't cheap either. Coming in around $50-60, I was lucky to have one gifted to me while I was still pregnant. It takes a little trying to figure out how to wrap these suckers, so when I did master the newborn hold, I felt like a million bucks (YouTube was the lifesaver on this front!) I found this was a great product when my daughter was a newborn because she didn't move around that much, and this customizes itself to your baby's size as well as your own. There are also lots of ways to tie this sucker, so you can master different ways to wrap your baby...that assumes you have the patience to do so, though.
What I found as Ruby got bigger, and by bigger I mean like a month old, the Moby worked less well for us. This is because I noticed that she had some "transition time" between when I put her into the wrap and when she settled into it (this has not changed). The problem with this is that you spend all this time getting the dang wrap all tied and perfect, then you put the babe in it and she squirms and squiggles and Bob's-your-uncle, the wrap that was so perfect a mere 30 seconds ago is demolished. Oh the frustration. If you have a more docile baby, then you probably don't have this problem. My baby is a mover and shaker and, apparently, a Moby destroyer.
This is what led me on the search for another baby carrier.
The Infantino Carrier
A friend of mine had been using this front style carrier, and offered to let me give it whirl. I had been looking at the Snugli carrier (which is what my mom and my husband's mom both used) and this was very similar with one great difference: price! This sucker is just $18 on Amazon. So, of course it was worth the try!
Since my baby is still very little, I put a receiving blanket in the bottom so her legs don't come out. I love this carrier because it allows me to make use of both my hands, which is SO important and kind of a luxury at this stage of the game. I find that it can stand up beautifully to when my Ruby fusses when I put her in. This is great for when I'm doing chores, or cooking. The weight is distributed evenly and it's a very sturdy carrier.
The only downside? Sometimes when she falls asleep in it, she leans too far to one side and her face presses on the clips, which are hard plastic. I worry about them leaving marks, although this hasn't happened. I have, however, caught her gnawing at them a couple of time when she's hungry. So, I cover them with sweatbands.
The Balboa Baby Sling (Got mine from Babies R US, also available in more styles on Amazon)
Though I love that Infantino carrier, I knew I wanted a sling. Slings are great and just totally different than the above-mentioned carrier...and good for a different set of things completely. I read a million reviews online for the Balboa slings, and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not, but after getting it in the mail and trying it out, I have to say I LOVE IT!
The material is super soft, which is important for both baby and I. It's also very adjustable, making it great for both my husband or I to wear. Best of all, it seems to be one of my daughter's favorites for two reasons: 1) she LOVES the cradle hold and it puts her right to sleep (I call this sling "the tranquilizer") and 2) she can breastfeed while in the sling--an important feature for when we are out and she needs to be both carried and fed at the same time.
This is great for doing stuff like straightening my hair (because she's sitting lower in it, well away from my flat iron), hanging out, or grocery shopping. Sometimes you have to support the head a little more in this carrier, so for that reason, it's not great for all activities (hence, why I need the other carrier). Some reviewers thought that their child got "lost" in the material of the sling, but I didn't find that to be so and my daughter is a small fry coming in at only nine pounds. I know that this sling will continue to be great for us as she grows, and thats is an exciting feature as well.
Do you babywear? how has your experience been and what's your favorite way to wear your baby?
It seems natural, of course, to have your baby close to you as much as possible, but in today's world there are a lot of voices out there telling you (the parent) so many ways to do it that it can become confusing. Suffice it to say that you have to do what feels right for you. If you like wearing your baby, WEAR THAT BABY! I have found that it makes my days easier, she sleeps comfortably and I can do whatever it is I need to do (like write this blog post, vacuum or even take a nap myself!)
As soon as I started with the baby wearing, though, I quickly found that I wanted to explore products to see which worked best for me. I have been able to try three different products and so I am giving you my review of each one!
The Moby Wrap
What I found as Ruby got bigger, and by bigger I mean like a month old, the Moby worked less well for us. This is because I noticed that she had some "transition time" between when I put her into the wrap and when she settled into it (this has not changed). The problem with this is that you spend all this time getting the dang wrap all tied and perfect, then you put the babe in it and she squirms and squiggles and Bob's-your-uncle, the wrap that was so perfect a mere 30 seconds ago is demolished. Oh the frustration. If you have a more docile baby, then you probably don't have this problem. My baby is a mover and shaker and, apparently, a Moby destroyer.This is what led me on the search for another baby carrier.
The Infantino Carrier
A friend of mine had been using this front style carrier, and offered to let me give it whirl. I had been looking at the Snugli carrier (which is what my mom and my husband's mom both used) and this was very similar with one great difference: price! This sucker is just $18 on Amazon. So, of course it was worth the try!
Since my baby is still very little, I put a receiving blanket in the bottom so her legs don't come out. I love this carrier because it allows me to make use of both my hands, which is SO important and kind of a luxury at this stage of the game. I find that it can stand up beautifully to when my Ruby fusses when I put her in. This is great for when I'm doing chores, or cooking. The weight is distributed evenly and it's a very sturdy carrier.The only downside? Sometimes when she falls asleep in it, she leans too far to one side and her face presses on the clips, which are hard plastic. I worry about them leaving marks, although this hasn't happened. I have, however, caught her gnawing at them a couple of time when she's hungry. So, I cover them with sweatbands.
Though I love that Infantino carrier, I knew I wanted a sling. Slings are great and just totally different than the above-mentioned carrier...and good for a different set of things completely. I read a million reviews online for the Balboa slings, and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not, but after getting it in the mail and trying it out, I have to say I LOVE IT!
The material is super soft, which is important for both baby and I. It's also very adjustable, making it great for both my husband or I to wear. Best of all, it seems to be one of my daughter's favorites for two reasons: 1) she LOVES the cradle hold and it puts her right to sleep (I call this sling "the tranquilizer") and 2) she can breastfeed while in the sling--an important feature for when we are out and she needs to be both carried and fed at the same time.
This is great for doing stuff like straightening my hair (because she's sitting lower in it, well away from my flat iron), hanging out, or grocery shopping. Sometimes you have to support the head a little more in this carrier, so for that reason, it's not great for all activities (hence, why I need the other carrier). Some reviewers thought that their child got "lost" in the material of the sling, but I didn't find that to be so and my daughter is a small fry coming in at only nine pounds. I know that this sling will continue to be great for us as she grows, and thats is an exciting feature as well.
Do you babywear? how has your experience been and what's your favorite way to wear your baby?
I am addicted to babywearing! It's saved my life (and my sanity). My experience:
ReplyDeleteI wore Alessandra in the Moby from the newborn stage to about 3 months. Like Ruby, she has never been a docile baby, and she around the 3-month mark she would start to fuss whenever I tried to put her in it. Plus, I found that the older and heavier she got, the more the Moby would stretch out. I also used the K'Tan during this time, and I had the same experience. So, stretchy wraps, IMHO, are great for the newborn/infant period.
When she was able to hold her head up, I put her in the Ergo. We had a bit of a learning curve with that one, but at 15 I back-carry her in the Ergo and she loves it. It's awesome, especially if we're out and about and I need to have my hands free. I also side-carry her in a ring sling, and it makes for a happy mama and baby. I have a Mei Tai, which I love and Alessandra is "meh" about. Again, another learning curve with that one. One of the things I love about the Ergo and ring sling is that they don't hurt my back. I have spinal stenosis, and my lower back pain can be excruciating. Therefore, I don't want a carrier/wrap that will cause me any more pain. One thing I've learned about babywearing...if you find a carrier or wrap that works for you, your back won't hurt (unless you're wearing your baby for an extended period of time, in which case pretty much every parent can expect to feel so soreness).
I am looking at back carriers now because I know we'll need one at some point! I have heard great things about the Ergo. So true though--everything you say!!!
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